THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 3, 1995 TAG: 9511030515
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines
The two major political parties are on six-figure spending sprees in the final days of this year's General Assembly election, much of it financed by large contributions from politicians in Washington.
Both parties will spend close to half a million dollars combined in the last week of the campaign on television commercials, and $100,000 or more on telephone banks designed to encourage party members to vote on election day.
Local candidates have been similarly targeted by the political parties with individual contributions, and two have become middlemen of sorts for spending party booty. Norfolk Democrat Thomas W. Moss Jr. and Virginia Beach Republican Kenneth W. Stolle are spending up to $200,000 of party cash buying TV time. The parties prefer that ad buys go through candidates, who qualify for discounted rates.
According to reports filed this week with the state Board of Elections, Republican political action committees had almost $600,000 in cash available Oct. 25 for commercials, mail advertisements or other efforts to influence the Nov. 7 election. Democratic PACs had about $350,000 on hand.
Much of the money available in the election's final days comes courtesy of national political organizations, which can focus on Virginia because it is one of the few states with an important legislative race. House Speaker Newt Gingrich's GOPAC '95 committee gave $50,000 to the state Republican Caucus last month, and spread another $25,000 among individual GOP candidates. Virginia Beach Senate candidate Ed Schrock and Norfolk House candidates Thelma S. Drake and George E. Schaefer were among the recipients.
The Democratic Party, meanwhile, collected almost $100,000 from the Democratic National Committee in October. Both national parties also have sprinkled contributions among individual candidates around the state.
Gov. George F. Allen's political action committee collected $100,000 from the Republican National State Elections Committee, and $50,000 from Roanoke publisher Edward Via. Both had already given equal amounts to other Republican candidates or organizations.
Among other sizable GOP contributions: Jerry Parker Jr., a Richmond-area investor who gave $100,000 to the party. William Goodwin Jr., a Richmond businessman, and members of his family gave a combined $50,000.
Democrats gathered several five-figure contributions from party candidates with large bankrolls, including Norfolk Del. Thomas W. Moss Jr., who gave the party $38,500. Former party chairman Mark Warner, considering a run for U.S. Senate in 1996, gave $10,000.
The state Democratic Party also received $75,000 from Tamoil Inc., a New York oil company. State party spokeswoman Gail Nardi said the company is a regular donor to the Democratic National Committee, and was asked to contribute this year in Virginia.
The two camps use varied approaches to spreading their campaign funds among the 140 seats on the ballot in Tuesday's election. In close races, the parties have offered lump-sum contributions of cash, often $10,000 or more. Both parties also have financed targeted mail advertisements for specific candidates or their whole party.
In the race's waning days, money has been spent phoning potential voters to spread the party message. And both camps have funneled money to candidates in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Norfolk to finance television commercials pitching their respective party platforms.
Republicans this week began airing a new television commercial in which Allen criticizes the ``liberal, big-spending Democrats.''
And a Democrat-financed commercial unveiled Thursday questions the Republicans' theme of ``honest change,'' saying Allen tried to cut spending for education and programs for seniors.
``And how are they financing this campaign?'' the 30-second advertisement asks. ``With a $100,000 contribution from a polluter.''
That claim refers to a donation that Smithfield Foods Inc. made this year to Allen's political action committee. The company is under review by the state Department of Environmental Quality for polluting the Pagan River. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
DONATIONS
More than $300,000 in party money poured into South Hampton Roads
candidates' coffers in October alone. Here's a look at candidates
who got more than $10,000 in party money within the last month:
Incumbents receiving party money to fund other races:
Kenneth W. Stolle (R), unopposed Senate District 8th:
$101,402.40, all from the governor's Campaign for Honest Change.
Thomas W. Moss Jr. (D), House District 88th:
$88,000, nearly all from State Democratic Party caucus.
Candidates in races targeted by parties:
Thelma Drake (R), challenger, 87th District:
$23,723. Includes: $1,000 from Newt Gingrich's GOPAC, $15,000
from the governor's PAC, and $4,373 in in-kind contributions from
the Joint Republican Caucus.
Howard E. Copeland (D), incumbent 87th District:
$55,800. Includes: $10,000 from U.S. Democratic Congressional and
Senate campaign committees; $30,800 from Commonwealth Victory fund.
Edward Schrock (R), challenger, 7th Senate District:
$52,227. Includes: $1,000 from GOPAC; $37,477 in in-kind
contributions from the Joint Republican Caucus; and $5,000 from the
Tusk and Trunk PAC.
- Compiled by staff writer Lise Olsen
KEYWORDS: CAMPAIGN FINANCING ELECTION VIRGINIA
DEMOCRATIC PARTY REPUBLICAN PARTY POLITCAL
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